Flowstream Island, located in the latter half of the first half of the Grand Line, lay between two well-known seas.
To its right, bordering the Calm Belt, was Amazon Lily—more commonly known as the Isle of Women.
To its left was Long Ring Long Land, a vast archipelago made up of nearly a hundred small islands.
And just ahead stood Judicial Island, home to the Marine s' highest judicial authority.
Recently, Flowstream Island had become a forbidden zone—
a place merchant ships dared not approach.
The reason was simple—
a group of powerful, vicious pirates had made the island their base.
They were known as the Demon Pirates.
Their captain, Demon Oren, carried the blood of the Giant race. Standing six meters tall, his physique was immense, his strength monstrous.
Even without a Devil Fruit, he possessed the Giants' extraordinary vitality, stamina, and healing ability—
in short, a monster among men.
But with his Zoan-type Devil Fruit, things became far worse.
He could transform into a colossal, berserk bear over ten meters tall—his strength and resilience rivaling that of a full-blooded giant warrior.
Oren, the Demon, was a pirate worth sixty million Berries—a bounty that spoke for itself.
Over the past six months, the Demon Pirates' reckless and brutal methods had drawn countless criminals to their banner.
They had become a congregation of murderers and marauders, each with their own high bounties—
a pirate crew made entirely of fiends.
Every crewman was a villain in his own right, many with bounties in the tens of millions.
In the first half of the Grand Line, few pirate groups could rival their size or infamy.
It was precisely because of this that Marine Headquarters had dispatched one of its top fighters—
Vice Vice Admiral Aokiji himself.
That day,
on the coast of Flowstream Island—
A massive warship had already docked at the harbor.
Anchors dropped, sails furled.
The white seagull flag of the Marine s fluttered proudly in the sea breeze.
On the deck,
Aokiji was geared up and ready to disembark.
However…
the thought of having to bring along "a certain burden" made him sigh helplessly.
Turning his head, he looked at the boy standing beside him—Kai, who would be accompanying him on the expedition against the Demon Pirates.
Inwardly, Aokiji sighed again.
He was already planning to keep this kid far from the battlefield once the fighting began—
to ensure Kai wouldn't become a target.
That way, he could fight freely,
and focus entirely on wiping out the Demon Pirates.
"Kai, you ready～?"
"Don't get careless…"
"The Demon Pirates aren't some ragtag group. They're vicious, bloodthirsty criminals who kill, loot, and burn without mercy."
"Their captain, Demon Oren, is one of the true monsters of the first half of the Grand Line."
It was Vice Admiral Garp who gave this stern warning.
"Relax, old man. I won't do anything reckless,"
Kai replied, waving his hand casually—though his eyes gleamed with anticipation.
A pirate with a sixty-million-berry bounty…
He'd never seen one before.
Now, he finally had the chance.
He didn't have absolute confidence in defeating such a pirate—
but he was sure he wouldn't lose either.
And besides…
he wasn't alone in this mission.
The real main force was Vice Vice Admiral Aokiji—one of the Marine's monsters.
With that reassurance, Kai's confidence grew.
This operation to exterminate the Demon Pirates was almost guaranteed to succeed.
"Vice Admiral Garp, don't worry," Aokiji said lazily.
"I'll make sure the kid stays safe."
Waving casually, he stepped down the stairs from the deck, his boots crunching onto the island's soil.
Kai followed right behind him, officially setting foot on Flowstream Island.
The air was thick with the scent of salt and gunpowder, and faint scorch marks marred the once-white harbor stones. It was clear this island had seen battle not long ago—its silence felt heavy, like the calm before a storm.
"Let's go."
Moments later, the two of them began making their way from the harbor toward the island's central region.
From the deck,
Garp watched their retreating figures with a complicated look—equal parts pride and worry.
Beside him, his trusted subordinate, Lieutenant Commander Bogard, noticed the unease and quickly offered comfort.
The old Marine's fists rested on the railing, knuckles faintly whitening as he stared after the boy. For all his laughter and bravado, even Garp couldn't completely mask the faint tremor of worry buried behind his grin.
"Vice Admiral Garp, there's no need to worry. With Vice Vice Admiral Aokiji personally leading the operation, this will be over quickly."
"No matter how many there are, those Demon Pirates are no match for him. And as for Mr. Kai—his strength alone is enough to keep him safe."
"Don't forget, Vice Admiral, at only four years old, he already possesses the battle power of a Marine Headquarters Rear Admiral!"
"With that level of strength, he'll have no trouble protecting himself while Aokiji takes care of the rest."
"After all, you yourself called him—'the most terrifying monster at sea.'"
Hearing that, Garp's expression softened, his worry easing.
"You're right… with that kid's strength, there's nothing to be afraid of."
From the harbor to the island's bustling core took less than half an hour.
After that short walk, Kai and Aokiji finally arrived at Flowstream Island's main town.
"Vice Vice Admiral Aokiji, are we going straight for the Demon Pirates?"
Kai asked curiously.
Aokiji shook his head, eyes narrowing toward a district in the distance.
"First, we're heading to the local Marine Branch. I need to coordinate with the commanding officer there."
"If we attack rashly, the pirates might scatter and escape. We'll need enough manpower to completely surround them—
so that not a single one escapes.."
"Our goal this time isn't just to kill Oren."
"It's to completely eradicate the Demon Pirates—every last one of them."
If his mission were simply to eliminate Oren, Aokiji wouldn't need backup.
But to ensure total extermination,
he'd have to rely on the island's stationed Marine s.
Even Aokiji alone couldn't prevent every pirate from fleeing.
Only with a coordinated encirclement could they wipe the group out completely.
"I see."
Kai nodded in understanding.
Following Aokiji's lead, Kai soon arrived at the Marine Branch stationed on Flowstream Island.
The building was sturdy but battle-worn; bullet holes dotted its outer walls, and the faint scent of disinfectant drifted from within. Marine s moved briskly about, their eyes sharp and weary—a branch on constant alert.
Without delay, Aokiji took out a Den Den Mushi and dialed directly.
He was contacting the Marine officer in charge of the branch.
Buru-buru-buru…
The snail-phone buzzed, its strange voice echoing in Kai's ears.
A few minutes later, Aokiji ended the call.
Before even ten minutes passed,
a tall, broad-shouldered man hurried out from the Marine Branch.
He wore the white coat of justice draped over his back, the emblem of the Marine s.
Panting slightly, he stopped before Aokiji and saluted respectfully, his tone nervous yet reverent.
His close-cropped blond hair was slicked back with sweat, and a thin scar ran across his left cheek—clear proof of the battles he'd fought to hold this island against the pirates. Despite his rank, there was nothing soft about him.
"V–Vice Vice Admiral Aokiji, sir!"
This was Colonel Miz, the commanding officer stationed at the Flowstream Island Marine This was Colonel Miz, the commanding officer stationed at the Flowstream Island Marine Branch—a formidable Headquarters officer in his own right.
Outside, gulls circled above the harbor, their cries drowned by the steady rhythm of the waves. The storm was coming—and this island would soon become its eye.
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